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“Recognizing Independence of Abkhazia Could Discharge Tense Situation”

October 8, 2009

Berthold Eder

Expert of international law Otto Luchterhandt, who participated in the preparation of the report on Georgian-Russian war, spoke about the lessons learned by the war.

One year after the war finished in the Caucasus EU Fact-Finding Mission published its report on the conflict. Otto Luchterhandt, expert of the international law, also worked on the 900-page report. In his interview with Berthold Eder he spoke about the lessons that shall after this war and how situation can develop in the Caucasus. 

What can international community do which was paralyzed during the August war and what shall be learned from this conflict?

-We cannot change the past but it was important lesson to realize how to oppose the development of such conflicts. Unfortunately, it must be noted that the international community does not pay enough attention to the Karabakh conflict in the South Caucasus; that means lessons are not learned.

The war started because President Mikheil Saakashvili categorically refused to sign the non-violence agreement with Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Even if similar agreement were signed, it would have been more difficult for Georgia to decide to attack South Ossetia; in this case, as the report exposed, Georgia would be considered to be an aggressor by the international community in August, 2008.

In the middle of July 2008, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev did not exclude the possibility of resolving the conflict in Karabakh with military forces. With the support of Turkey and other countries Azerbaijan seriously reinforces the aviation. Aliev might act like Saakashvili and before the world wakes up he will surprise everybody with the reality one day.

How do you think, will this report have any output for Saakashvili?

-I do not think so; he controls the governmental structures very strongly and within five years he managed to gain control over media sources too. This control made the Rose Revolution successful. He also controls the judiciary system and majority of the Georgian parliament is made up with his party members. The balance in the government does not work. The most serious leaders of the opposition parties were members of Saakashvili’s team short time ago; though it cannot change anything either.

-President Saakashvili alleged that bombardment of Tskhinvali was reaction on inevitable threat of attack from Russia; do you support this allegation?

-The facts were against his allegation. The EU Mission carefully studied events that occurred before the attack on Tskhinvali. His allegation was not valid. Unfortunately, the Mission could not get hold of the information of the secret police, CIA and FBI of the USA.

After the conflict the frontline became more severe. Ten thousands of internally displaced people cannot return to their homes. Today it is unreal to resolve the conflict in Abkhazia and South Ossetia though it could avoid the war. Was realization of similar decision possible previously?

-Absolutely. In 1990s Gruber-De-Gasperi Agreement was possible to be used in regard with South Ossetia; this agreement resolved the problem in South Tirol Autonomy in 1946. It is natural that the situation in the Caucasus is more difficult than in Central Europe: violence and emotions are stronger there; consequently more serious international guarantees are necessary for the Caucasus than necessity of protectorate in Austria.

Former president Eduard Shevardnadze did not even try to grant South Ossetia with the same status as Adjara Autonomous Republic. Adjara is a region populated with ethnic Georgians who were converted into Muslim during the Osman rule. Nevertheless, the region is an autonomous republic.

Tbilisi was afraid that if South Ossetia was declared to be Autonomous Republic it could join the North Ossetia in Russian Federation. It was absolutely unacceptable for Georgia.

How do you think, would Russia ever have recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia if not August war?

-No. Russia does not want to lose its influence over Georgian using South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Simultaneously they aim to maintain these two provinces.

How do you think, will other states also recognize the break-away regions in near future?

-I do not exclude that possibility. After this confrontation these regions will never become parts of Georgia. If European states recognize Abkhazia, it will support the diverse process of their cooperation with Russian Federation, as well as calming down the situation and bringing this region close to Georgia again. Finally, one fourth of the Abkhazian population is ethnic Georgians. The situation is more complicated with South Ossetia because the region is linked with North Ossetia and most part of ethnic Ossetians lives in Russia.

See the original article: http://derstandard.at/fs/1254310467832/derStandardat-Interview-Anerkennung-Abchasiens-wuerde-zur-Entspannung-beitragen 

Source: foreignpress.ge

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